Afloat
by montez
Summary: This came to mind when the screen went black at the end of episode 2:12. Something in Joe's face and tone just wouldn't leave me alone and this is the result.


Afloat  
By Montez  
Disclaimer: Don't own, just taking them out for a test drive.

_A/N: Okay, this flooded my mind as the screen went dark at the end of episode 12. Just the way Joe was looking at Steve and his tone of voice screamed at me that something was going to happen. And now as with any other episode that lacks that extra something, this fic was born. Hope you give it a chance and that I wasn't the only one who thought, even for just a second that this could have happened. Thanks in advance-Montez _

The wedding had been beautiful, Joe'd had three of his own over the years but this one was by far the most beautiful if only for it's simplicity. He'd honestly been surprised that Chin had asked him to be part of the wedding party, but since Korea it seemed the entire unit of Five-0 viewed him just a little different, a little more a part of their ohana.

A part of the older man enjoyed that feeling of belonging, of having people outside the Navy that he could relate to, especially since his 'forced' retirement. But honestly he would do it again. Saving Steve had been a no brainier from the moment Danny had approached Wade and him. He just wished that he could get Steve to back off the whole Shelburne thing, God the boy was getting too close and it could all blowup in their faces if things weren't handled carefully, and White knew McGarrett didn't always do 'careful'.

Joe knew Steve had started getting suspicious when he realized Joe hadn't really sent off the video of his father, Wo Fat and Jameson to get analyzed. Lately it had been little things, White had thought maybe Mokoto's death would have stalled Steve some, but he really should have known better. Steve's guilt had a way of fueling his blind determination and guilt was something McGarrett did better than anyone, even when it had nothing to do with him, just like this.

He knew everything was coming to a head when Steve had lifted his passport, it had surprised him it had taken the younger man this long to finally figure him out, figure that Joe indeed knew a hell of a lot more than he was letting on. But he had promised John all those years ago, after the death of Steve's mother that once Steve was sent away that White would keep an eye on him. Yes John had been worried about his daughter too, but even then John somehow knew it would be Steve that would get burdened with his sins. So from the time Steve had entered Annapolis, Joe had been watching from the background and now, now when everything should have settled down it was all coming to a head, a literal train wreck in the making and White knew he was going to have to do something drastic, to save Steve from the mess crumbling around him.

Standing staring at the ocean, Joe White remembered why he had become a Navy man. He'd grown up in the Midwest and as a youth dreamed of running off and being a pirate or a sea captain and joining the Navy had been the closest he could get. The ocean was calming to look at, but Joe knew of the turmoil it could unleash at a moments notice, yet there was no doubt to its beauty. For these last few moments he needed to collect his thoughts, he'd decided what he needed to do days ago, hell he'd entertained the idea for a few weeks, but Korea happened and he'd hoped it would have put Steve out of commission longer than it had, though he'd hated to see the younger man hurt like that, but all of that just added fuel to the fire that was Steve McGarrett.

Now, now his heart was heavy with what needed to be done. He needed Steve out of the way until things could be taken care of. Joe knew what he was going to have to do would shatter the last little bit of trust McGarrett still held for him, hell Steve's trust had been rattled so much in the last year, it amazed Joe the younger man trusted anyone. Yet he did and for that Joe was grateful, because he would need that unwavering trust in the one person Joe knew for sure would never betray Steve and he just hoped Steve wouldn't loss his trust in him; Danny Williams. Nodding silently to himself he knew Danny would get Steve through what was coming next and that was the only way Joe was going to be able to live with himself for what he needed to do.

Closing his eyes he could 'feel' someone approaching him, knew without a doubt it was Steve. He could see it in McGarrett's eyes, part fear, part betrayal; Steve knew Joe knew more than he was saying and when the younger man asked why Joe had been in Japan, in that moment White knew it couldn't go on one more day.

"You might as well tell me, you know I'll never stop asking." Determination was in Steve's face now and Joe knew the truth of those words, Steve would not stop unless he was stopped.

Taking a deep breath, praying to whatever deity was out there that he was doing the right thing and in the end Steve would understand. He knew the younger man would never forgive him, but if he understood the reasoning that would be all Joe would need, for him to understand everything had been done to protect him. "I was afraid you'd say that."

The look of shock and utter betrayal crossed Steve's face; he didn't have time to register anything else when Joe moved to face him just before a white-hot pain tore through his body. Looking down Steve could see the small handgun still just inches from his stomach, the small silencer suppressing the normal sound the offending object would make. It took a minute before the deep-red stain that was spreading across the white shirt he had on finally pulled Steve's jumbled thoughts to the one, nearly heart-stopping one, Joe White, a man he trusted with his life, who had came with his team to Korea to save him, who he viewed as the closest thing to a father he had left had just shot him.

Pleading, pain-filled eyes met Joe's devastated ones, "Joe?" Steve whispered out; feeling his body grow weaker, shear force of will keeping him standing.

"I'm so sorry Son, but it's time to stop now." Joe said quietly as he heard a vehicle pull up in the small parking lot a few meters behind him. "You'll understand in the end, everything has been done to protect you, even this." Joe reached out and grabbed Steve's arm as the younger man wavered, easing him to his knees when they finally gave out. "Please, stop now." Joe pleaded.

Then without another word Joe stood and jogged across the sand to the waiting black SUV. Steve just watched as his friend, his mentor gave him one last sad look before entering the truck, it driving away.

McGarrett's vision was starting to blur, he could feel the tremors that were overtaking his body, it was shock, but he knew it wasn't just physical shock his body was trying to deal with, but also mental as a seemingly ultimate betrayal had just taken place. Looking down Steve knew he needed help, but his voice had left him, his body refusing to follow his brain's screaming commands. The wedding party was a few yards behind him, but it might as well been miles because he knew he could never reach them. As Steve's mind started to fog, guilt again reared its head, now; because of him Chin's wedding day would be marred. In those fleeting thoughts a part of Steve really and truly just wanted this all to end.

Oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

The wedding had been beautiful, it had been sweet and simple and though it had brought up memories of his own marriage and subsequent divorce, Danny Williams was truly happy for Chin and Malia. He'd been honored when Chin had asked him to be part of the wedding party and had relentlessly dug at Steve who got the coveted spot of 'best man'. But watching the happy couple whisper back and forth it was nice to have a few hours of happiness revolving around his friends, his family. The last months and weeks had been hell and they had all been affected by it, but mostly from the betrayal of Jenna Kaye and Steve's capture by Wo Fat.

Danny had known from the start that something bad was going to happen, call it cop instinct. When Chin and Kono had gotten back with the info that Jenna had actually remained in Hawaii the three months everyone thought she was in DC, everything screamed bad news. Then the young woman's frantic phone call, pleading for them to help because she had screwed up big time and led Steve straight to Wo Fat. No one had given it a second thought about going after their missing friend and it had reasserted the faith they'd all grown to have in Joe White and how much he cared for Steve. Hell in the end he'd lost his military career because of what they'd done, yet the older man had taken it in stride, never once acting as if he would have done anything any different.

But as Danny sat, sipping on a beer watching couples dance to the Hawaiian music, he noted that over the last couple of weeks Steve had become more suspicious of Joe's activities, even going so far as to tell Danny that he believed Joe really knew what Shelburne was, but just wouldn't tell him. That little fact was really messing with Steve's thoughts and feelings and Danny worried that his partner might not be able to handle another person close to him breaking the fragile bond of trust that Steve so cautiously extends.

Looking around he didn't see Steve or Joe for that matter at the moment and he really didn't give it much thought still trying to hold on the happiness the wedding was providing. It was then Danny felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He'd kept it with him like always incase Grace needed him, the Governor had promised Five-0 the day, routing any incoming cases to HPD unless they involved a security threat.

Pulling it out he glanced at the name flashing on the screen and a feeling of dread overtook him, "Joe? Where are you?" Danny stood, looking around as the other guest milled around the festivities.

"He needs to stop…" Joe's voice sounded steady, but hollow.

"Joe, what are you talking about? Who needs to stop?" Moving toward the parking lot Williams was now desperate to find Steve, something inside telling him something bad had happened.

"I had to stop him, for a while at least. Steve doesn't really know how to stop." A slight, humorless chuckle was heard from the older man.

"Joe, where's Steve? Is he okay?" Danny was jogging now, the rows of cars coming into view as he could just make out a black SUV exiting the far side of the lot.

"He's on the beach. Danny listen, he needs you now, take care of him." Joe responded before the line went silent.

As the click echoed in his ear Danny took off in a full run toward the beach adjacent to the parking lot, what he saw nearly froze his soul, "STEVE!"

The sand pulled at his steps as he ran across the small expanse of beach, ahead was his partner, sitting on his knees, his upper body hunched over slightly, but it was the sight that caught his eye when Steve slowly raised his head, deep red stood out on the crisp whiteness of his dress shirt. "Danny?"

Just as Danny dropped to his knees in front of his partner Steve's strength finally gave out and he fell into his friend's arms, "Shit…" Williams mumbled as he lowered Steve, "Steve…Steven! Look at me!" Moving Steve's jacket some Danny swore again at the amount of blood that stained the shirt, taking one hand he pressed it against where it looked like the wound was, eliciting a moan from the injured man, "Hey buddy, it's me, take it easy I'm getting help now."

Danny fumbled with his phone that was still clutched in his hand, hitting 911 he quickly gave his location before hanging up again, hitting #4 on his phone. It took a few seconds but the cheerful, happy voice of Kono answered, "Danny where are you? They are getting ready to cut the cake and we need Steve here, have you seen him?"

Danny felt his partner's hand grab a hold of his wrist, the fear he saw in his partner's eyes was nearly too much for Danny to deal with, he needed to focus, he needed help. "Danny?" Kono's voice took on a hint of worry.

"We're on the beach, Steve's been shot, I need help." Danny said quickly as his eyes stayed locked with his partners.

"What?" He barely heard Kono respond, but by the sound he knew she was heading their way.

Without saying another word Danny dropped the phone beside him, reaching up he took Steve's hand in his free one, "I've got help coming, you hold on you hear me? I might have been the understudy for best man but not like this, you hear me? Keep your eye's open!" Danny pleaded as Steve's pain-filled eyes started to slip closed, the grip on his hand tightening, before going slack.

Oxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The wedding had been beautiful, Kono was so happy for her cousin. After all he had been through in the last few years, he deserved to be happy. She and Malia had talked after Chin explained to her that it was he that had broken the engagement off when HPD came after him, not Malia. Chin had explained to Kono that he hadn't wanted to drag anyone else down with him and wanted to protect Malia. But it had been that chance meeting again at the hospital that caused him to give them another try, especially after noticing the young doctor still wore the engagement ring around her neck.

Kono and Malia had started meeting up again after the fiasco that was Fryer's undercover deal with her and it had been as if the two women had never been separated. When Chin and Malia dated the first time around Kono had been younger and in the middle of her surfing career and instead of making it out like Kono was a third wheel in the relationship, Malia loved having the young girl around as much as Chin did, so they had become close. When Kono thought Malia broke her cousin's heart when his career was falling apart she hadn't wanted anything to do with the doctor, but now, it was like getting her best friend back. But more importantly Chin was happy, really happy and that made Kono happy.

She'd watched the ceremony, trying not to cry and she'd nearly made it, Kamkona's comment about crying had helped stop her own as she laughed. They had all stood for the wedding photos, then the reception began. The music, the food, it was all beautiful. The last weeks and month had been hard on everyone and for once, if just for a few hours, they could all relax and breathe.

Making her way back to her table after a fun dance with Max, who was a surprisingly good dancer, she heard the chiming of her phone from her purse. She knew they were all off duty today, but old habits die hard and she couldn't leave it at home. Glancing toward her smiling cousin and his new bride as they made their way toward the cake she pulled the device from her purse. Seeing it was Danny, wondering for a second why he was calling her, she looked around trying to spot him in the crowd of people as she answered, "Danny where are you? They are getting ready to cut the cake and we need Steve here, have you seen him?

Kono glanced toward Chin who happened to look her way at that moment, giving him a small way she realized Danny hadn't responded, "Danny?"

"We're on the beach, Steve's been shot, I need help." Kono felt her breath catch in her throat as the words had a problem filtering through.

"What?" Kono broke eye contact with her cousin and took off toward the beach just a few yards away. Reaching the edge of the crowd she looked across the beach and saw Danny kneeling over a prone figure dressed in black, "Oh God." She whispered as she ran across the sand toward her friends, her ohana.

Oxoxoxoxoxoxo

The wedding had been beautiful, it had been so much more than he could have ever hoped for. Chin Ho Kelly had been in love with Malia for more years than he could remember. They had planned a wedding so many years ago when fate intervened in the form of a trumped up IA investigation that ultimately cost Chin his badge. Kelly had broken it off back then, not wanted to drag Malia's good name as a doctor through the mud that was landing on his. They had both cried that night as he told her to keep the ring and he had walked out of her life.

But again fate came back around in the form of redemption via the Five-0 task force and a second chance from his former mentor's son, Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett. The young man he had last seen when he was sixteen years old, just before John McGarrett had shipped his kids to the mainland, had grown into a highly decorated, highly skilled Navy SEAL. Who, if you listened to Detective Danny Williams, was also highly psychotic. Yes Steve's approach to things was vastly different from regular police work, but they always managed to come to the same conclusion, though with Steve it did involve a few more gun battles and small explosions than he remembered from his years on the force.

It had been a case with Five-0 that had inadvertently brought Malia back into his life, a chance meeting at the hospital, led to coffee, then dinner, then weekends together. It was as if the years apart had never happened and Chin found himself just as in love with the beautiful doctor as he had been all those years ago.

The last few month had brought his life into some prospective and he realized he didn't want to waste anymore time on the what if's. So asking Malia a second time if she would be his wife had been a no brainier in his book, because of her he felt alive again. Then Korea happened, Kelly hadn't given it a second thought when they realized what had happened to Steve and just who was holding him. A quick call to Malia reminded him why he loved her so much, she had told him she understood, that she loved him no matter what and made him promise to do his damnedest to make it back to her. She had been the first call he made as the cargo plane touched down back in Oahu, she had met them at the hospital and though her specialty was oncology Malia was the go between for Five-0 and Steve's doctors those first few hours, when everyone was worried about just what Wo Fat had done to their friend.

But now as he looked at his beautiful bride, Chin couldn't help but smile, it was finally here, she was finally Malia Kelly and he had never been so happy in his life. Malia's friend, who had helped coordinate the wedding, approached telling them that it was time to cut the cake. Leaning over giving her a kiss before taking her hand, Chin's eyes scanned the crowd, this was where he'd be needing his best man soon, he could only imagine the speech his friend would deliver. Malia had warned Steve to not treat it like a military op or he'd have to deal with her and Chin couldn't suppress the inward chuckle as he recalled the hint of fear he saw in the SEAL's face at his fiancée's words of warning.

Quickly scanning the crowd Chin's gaze landed on his cousin, giving him a small wave he watched as she raise her phone to her ear. He honestly couldn't think of who might be calling, everyone was here and the Governor had promised that unless it was a state emergency Five-0 would have this day off. He watched as Kono's forehead pinching in worry a moment before her eyes widened just before she took off running toward the beach.

Panic gripped Chin's soul, something was terribly wrong, he just knew it. Leaning over he whispered to Malia, "Something's wrong."

She looked at him as he turned to go after his cousin, Malia could just make out Kono racing toward the beach. Chin took a step before Malia took his hand, motioning for him to go, "I'm coming with you."

A nod was his only response as they left a startled group gathering around the cake, taking off toward the beach and Kono's retreating back.

"Oh God." Kelly heard his cousin's voice as she took off across the beach. He could just make out Danny kneeling next to a prone figure.

"Malia wait here." He spoke firmly to his new bride, he wasn't sure what was going on, but didn't want to put her in danger.

Reluctantly Malia released his hand as he too raced across the sand, his voice catching when he realized who the person lying between Danny and Kono was, "Steve?"

"Ambulance is on its way!" Danny called over his shoulder toward Chin, "Kono, try and get him to open his eyes."

Chin moved toward McGarrett's side next to his cousin who was near Steve's head, he started working feverously to get the injured man's shirt open to see just how bad it was, "What the hell happened?" Kelly asked.

"I don't know, Joe called saying Steve was on the beach." Danny responded as Kono kept trying to get Steve to respond, both Danny's hands now trying to stop the blood flow.

"You don't think…" The thought trailed off as Chin met Danny's gaze.

"I don't know, but if he did I'll kill the son of a bitch." Danny's words were deadly and cold.

"Chin?" Malia's voice pulled Chin's attention from Williams' hard glare. Looking up at his new wife he saw a second of shock before the mask of a doctor dropped across her face.

"What happened?" She demanded, dropping next to Danny in the sand, her hand going immediately to Steve's neck, "Pulse is fast and thready, Danny let me see." She reached forward, raising Danny's hands slightly, pushing them back down as blood still bubbled from the small hole in McGarrett's abdomen.

"He was shot; he was barely coherent when I reached him, lost consciousness about three minutes ago." Danny relayed, to Malia. "Ambulance is on the way." Just then sirens broke through the air, glancing toward the parking lot Danny saw Kamakona directing them back in, then helping the EMT's with the gurney.

"What have we got?" the first medic asked dropping his bag next to Steve as Kono and Chin moved back, Danny still holding pressure on the wound, Malia trying to keep check of Steve's vitals.

"Gunshot wound to the upper abdomen, pulse is fast and thready, respiration shallow." Malia relayed after informing them she was a doctor.

The medic quickly pulled out a pressure bandage and with Malia's help got it secured, Danny moved back as the other EMT dropped next to his partner. He watched as they inserted IV lines, took blood pressure readings then started to ready McGarrett for transport by getting him on a back board. With Chin's, Danny's and Kamkona's help Steve was lifted onto the gurney and secured. Then they helped carry the stretcher across the sand to the waiting ambulance.

"I'm riding with him." Malia demanded, she was a doctor and this man was one of her new husband's best friends.

The medic nodded as Chin reached forward to help his wife into the back, a quick kiss was exchanged, "We'll meet you there." Kelly said as he and Danny slammed the doors shut, hitting the back the ambulance's sirens came to life as the vehicle sped from the lot.

"What the hell just happened?" Chin asked, looking at his cousin then Danny.

Williams was staring at his hands, now covered completely in red. Not the pretty bright red of Christmas or Valentines Day, but the life giving, life changing red that when too much was left to view could be life ending. "I don't know, but if it's the last thing I do I'm going to find out." Looking at the cousins Danny took a towel Kono offered that she'd grabbed from the ambulance. Slowly wiping his hands Williams turned toward the parking lot, "We need to get to the hospital."

Oxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Danny drove the way he had yelled at Steve so many times before for doing, like a bat out of hell. A quick glance in his rearview told him Kono was pacing him perfectly with Chin visible in the passenger seat. Williams mind tried desperately to suppress the image of his best friend bleeding out on the beach, not able to wrap his mind around the fact that the only possible person that could have done that to Steve was Joe. Joe was the only person that Steve wouldn't have viewed as a threat on the beach, the only person that he would allow close enough that the shot had left a hint of powder burn, barely visible on the bloodied shirt. Then there was the phone call, Joe had called him and told him where Steve was and that he needed help. But what he couldn't understand was why? Why on God's green earth had Joe White, the man who had coordinated the seemingly impossible rescue of Steve out of North Korea just a few short weeks ago, shot Steve. Then Joe's words played in Danny's mind, _"He needs to stop…I had to stop him, for a while at least. Steve doesn't really know how to stop." _

What did Joe mean he had to stop Steve, they had all been trying to figure out who or what the cryptic 'Shelburne' was, but Danny knew McGarrett had started to suspect Joe was hiding something, is that why Joe had done this? Knowing the only way to get Steve to stop was to physically stop him, take him out of the picture. It just didn't make sense, the man had vowed many times it was only ever his intention to protect Steve, how was shooting him protecting him, if that shot killed him?

"No!" Danny said out loud as the hospital finally came into view, Steve wasn't going to die, not today. Not at the hands of a man the SEAL viewed as a father figure.

Sliding the Camaro into a spot near the entrance, daring anyone to tell him to move Danny jumped out of the car, Kono's vehicle coming beside, the three members of Five-0 raced through the emergency room. Danny reached the desk first "Steve McGarrett, he just came in by ambulance, gunshot wound, Dr. Malia…"

The name died on his lips as he heard Chin's voice behind him. "Malia…" Danny turned to see Chin making his way toward his new wife. Danny felt bile rising as he saw the sharp contrast of crimson against her once beautiful white wedding gown.

The couple embraced a moment before Malia stepped back and looked at the trio. "They just took him up to surgery; the bullet nicked an artery…" Taking a deep breath the younger woman looked at the people before her, she suddenly felt shaky. She was a trained doctor, but this was different, this was personal and the fact her nerves about this day were already off the chart, Malia was still trying to process how the day had gone from one she'd only imaged in her dreams to a waking nightmare.

Chin saw the apprehension in his bride's face and knew something had happened, "Malia, what?"

Reaching out she took her husband's hand, looking at Kono, then Danny, "We lost him in the ambulance, they just got him back before they took him up, but it…it doesn't look good."

It took a minute for everything to sink in, how could this be happening? They had saved him from certain death in a foreign, hostile country at the hands of his worst enemy only to now possibly loss him here at home by the hands of a man McGarrett had trusted only second to Danny himself.

Williams ran his hand through his hair, Kono just looked at Malia in shock and Chin pulled the woman he loved close, wrapping his arms around her, each taking a minute to comprehend the words just spoken.

The moment was broken as Danny turned and looked at Kono, "Call Duke, I want a damn APB put out on Joe White, call the ports, airport, any damn way he could get off this island. Hell call Pearl see if anyone there can help, Steve's still in the reserves, Joe was just forced out maybe they know something we don't. I want the son of a bitch found yesterday. I saw a black SUV leaving the lot when I was looking for Steve, see if any security camera's in the area caught it, have HPD start canvassing."

Kono finally found her voice, "Why would he do this? How do we even know Joe shot Steve?" She knew it was really the only explanation, but it was hard to separate the act against her friend and the man they had come to know as Joe White.

"I could hear it in his voice. He said he needed to stop Steve. This damn Shelburne thing is going to get Steve killed, if it hasn't all ready and apparently in Joe's way of thinking the only way to stop Steve was this." Taking another frantic step Danny mumbled, "Is it really only crazy people in the damn Navy?"

"I'll go with Kono, I'll start trying to track security feed while she coordinates with HPD." Chin replied, looking at Danny.

"God, Chin…Malia…" Danny didn't know what to say, their perfect day had been shattered, forever marred by an act of violence that just didn't seem to make sense, but then did.

"Don't Danny, this isn't your's or Steve's fault, hell honestly I don't even know if it is Joe's. We'll get through this." Chin responded, Malia nodding beside him. It was another reason Kelly loved the woman so much, she saw things exactly like he did.

"I'll stay here with Danny, I'll have access to more information quicker and I have a change of cloths in my office." Turning to Chin, Malia pulled him into a hug, "Go, find Joe, just be careful."

Kelly leaned down and kissed his new bride, "I love you" he said softly.

"I love you too." She replied before pulling back, giving Kono a quick hug before the cousins headed out.

"Danny, we'll head upstairs, surgery is on three. My office is on four, I'll meet you in the waiting room in a few minutes." Malia noted the anger, worry and fear in the blond man's eyes. "He's still fighting, that's all we can hope for."

They walked toward the elevators, the doors closing before Danny spoke, "Yeah, but how much more fight does he have left in him? When is too much, too much?" A part of Danny had always worried about Steve, especially since he'd really gotten to know him better. The man didn't handle emotion issues well in the best of times, but since Jameson's betrayal, then Jenna and Korea and now Joe, Danny wasn't really sure his friend could handle very much more, didn't know if he could survive much more.

The lift dinged and Danny stepped off on three. "I'll be down shortly" Malia said quietly, really hating to leave Williams alone right now, she knew via Chin that Danny and Steve were as close as brothers and she could only imagine how she would feel if one of her siblings were in the situation Steve was in. Danny silently nodded as the doors closed and he turned to go await word on Steve.

Oxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Joe sat drinking a cup of coffee, his mind replaying what he had done. All these years he had tried his best to protect Steve McGarrett, first because his friend John had asked him to, but later once he got to know the young man more, Joe saw in him what he had always hoped for if he'd ever had a son. John's distance from his son allowed Joe to step, offer that support, that advice that would normally be given by a father.

Joe had watched as the pain over the loss of his mother and subsequently his family shaped the younger McGarrett. The boy had a laser focus unlike anything Joe or the Navy had ever seen. That is what had made Steve one of the best SEAL's ever trained, that's what led Naval Intelligence to pull the young man into it's ranks to going after the Hesse brothers. It had taken Steve five years to finally capture Anton and unbeknownst to everyone involved it was that assignment that had spiraled all following events toward this moment.

He'd had the driver of the SUV bring him here, to a little out of the way coffee shop that sat directly across the street from Hawaii Medical. Within fifteen minutes an ambulance pulled up, sirens screaming, lights flashing. Joe watched an EMT emerge, followed by a woman dressed in her wedding gown, then finally the gurney was removed. Joined by a doctor and several nurses the group rushed into the emergency room doors.

Joe hated that his actions had taken what was suppose to be the most precious day away from Chin and Malia. He had been shocked to see Malia exit the back of the rig and not Danny, but then he remember she was a doctor. Just minutes behind Steve's arrival the silver Camaro and red Cruz came squealing into the lot and Joe watched as Danny, Kono and Chin rushed through the doors. They would get Steve through this, if he didn't believe that he would have found an alternate way to getting Steve to back off, called in a few favors and gotten his reserve unit mobilized or something.

Several more minutes passed when he noticed Kono and Chin make their way back out to the young woman's car, no doubt heading toward headquarters to start a search for him. He knew these people wouldn't take what he had done lying down, especially not after North Korea. Joe had lead SEAL units that weren't as focused and determined on a mission as those three people had been when they went after Steve. So he knew they wouldn't stop looking for him.

Another couple hours passed, no one noticed the older man with glasses, reading a book near the front of the coffee shop, it wasn't unusual for people to spend hours there. Joe had made several calls over the last few hours, getting everything finalized for what was coming next. In a few days he would leave the island, more than likely to not return, but he didn't know yet, it all depended on how things worked out and whether Steve would be out of the picture for a while.

Three hours had passed, he had watched people come and go, seen an HPD vehicle appear, he knew it was Danny's way of exerting some control of the situation, protecting Steve until they figured out if the threat was gone for now. Kono and Chin had returned as well, changed from their formal attire into street cloths, Chin carried a small duffle, no doubt a change of cloths for Danny, who Joe knew wouldn't leave Steve until he was sure is friend was going to be okay.

Joe had silently prayed the bullet hadn't done any major damage, we'll not life threatening anyway, all bullet wounds were major in his opinion. As evening started to settle over the city, the SUV pulled up again, but Joe had one last call to make. Picking up his phone he dialed a familiar number and waited for it to be answered. "How's Steve?"

Oxoxoxoxoxoxo

Danny was sitting in the far corner of the waiting room, Kono and Chin had returned about an hour ago. Malia and Chin had then headed down to the cafeteria to get coffee; Kono took a seat across from Danny. "You okay?" She asked softly, already knowing the answer.

"No." Was Williams only reply. It unnerved the young woman at how solemn Danny had become.

"He'll be okay." Kono said, more to herself than to Danny. Steve always seemed larger than life to her, that was until Korea, it was then, seeing him that injured, that helpless that made her realize he was indeed only human.

"Only if he wants to be." Danny responded as he stared at Kono.

"What do you mean?" For a moment Kono really didn't understand what Danny meant.

"We've all been through a lot since this task force formed. Hell I nearly lost Grace, thought I was getting Rachel back with a baby to boot only to lose that; I nearly died from Sarin exposure. You were put in danger that very first case and you weren't even officially a cop yet, you were forced into an undercover operation that none of us knew about. Chin was nearly blown up right on the steps of our headquarters and now his wedding day has been marred by this…" Danny waved his hand around.

"But no matter what we have all been through, I honest to God think Steve's had it the worst. He had to listen as his father was murdered over the phone, was nearly killed by the same man, who we thought was dead but returned to torment him all over again. Mary was kidnapped and nearly killed so he had to send her away, a former SEAL buddy turned on him for money, he was framed for killing Jameson only to barely escape being killed in prison by none other than the man that killed his father. Then there was Jenna and North Korea and now for all intents and purposes Joe has turned on him. Hell Steve is emotionally stunted at the best of times, how the hell is he suppose to keep bouncing back from all this? Does he even want to?"

It took Kono a minute to take in what Danny had said, yes they had seen Steve withdraw some lately, anyone would need to pull back and process what they had been through, but that didn't mean Steve would give up or that they should give up on him. "He has to, he wouldn't just give up and we shouldn't give up on him!" Kono was actually getting angry at Danny. Was Steve's best friend giving up on him?

"I'll be the last person to give up on him Kono, but we have to ask ourselves how much more can he really take? Hell his body is still healing from what Wo Fat put him through even though he tries to hide it. His mind is probably still trying to process everything and now just more mistrust, more cryptic clues from a man Steve truly believed he could absolutely trust." Danny stood, moving toward the window.

"You are the only person he absolutely trusts." Chin's voice broke the tense silence.

"What?" Danny turned.

Chin crossed the room, standing in front of Danny. Malia took a seat next to Kono, placing the coffee carrier on the table. "You are the only person Steve absolutely trusts. I saw it right after we got Steve out of that Jameson mess. Yes he seemed happy to have Joe around, but when he realized that Joe was sitting on that video we found in Jameson's office Steve started watching Joe more closely. As this Shelburne thing started to snowball and Joe became more secretive Steve started guarding himself in how he acted around Joe."

"I know I saw that, but that doesn't mean…" Danny started before Chin shook his head.

"You are the only person, besides Steve who knows what Steve knows. Hell I don't even know what he's thinking half the time, but you do. He lets his guard down around you…" Chin replied before Danny interrupted.

"He's no different with me than you guys." Danny's eyes met Kono's as she shook her head, mimicking her cousin.

"Not a chance." Kono responded.

"He trusts us on the job, with the job. He trusts us to be friends with, to be ohana. But he doesn't trust us with his life, only you have that trust." Kelly watched the mixed emotions crossing Danny's face.

Williams shook his head, "He trusts you with his life, you guys back him up nearly as much as I do." He really didn't understand what Chin was saying.

Taking a deep breath, Chin looked at his feet, then back up to Danny. "Not his life Danny, his 'life'. You know more about Steve McGarrett than I think he even does. He let's you balance him; he does his 'crazy stunts' because he knows you will reel him back in, ground him. When you tell him something he never doubts you, like that night after Jameson's murder. When you told him you'd get him out of it, he never once doubted your word. You are the only person he talks to, confides in because he know you won't betray that, that is what gets him through the hell his life has become, because he know no matter what, at the end of the day, you and only you have his back and will keep him afloat."

Turning back toward the window Danny took in all that Chin had said and as different scenarios played through his mind, of all the shit he'd been through with McGarrett it hit him like a ton of bricks, Chin was right. Danny had never thought of himself as being overly important to others as long as he could be there if someone needed him and now that he thought about it, he could see some of it. No matter what situation Steve ever found himself in, no matter what new piece of information pertaining to the murder of his parents and all the shit involving Wo Fat, Danny was the first person Steve always, always came to, turned to, to help him make sense of the seemingly senseless.

And honestly in that moment that thought, the thought of how many times he might have been the lifeline that kept Steve tethered in this world, terrified him to no end.

Before anymore could be said a surgeon walked into the room, "Family of Commander McGarrett?"

Danny moved first, the other flanking him, "How is he?"

The doctor could feel the fear radiating off the people before him, the feared for their friend and it was not without reason. "The Commander made it through surgery, but not without complications. The bullet to his abdomen didn't hit any major organs, but did nick an artery. That loss of blood volume caused his blood pressure to bottom out, once on the way here and another time on the operating table causing his heart to stop. We were successful in repairing the damage and are in the process of replacing the blood lost. We've put him on antibiotics to hopefully stop any possible infection before it starts. We've are going to keep him sedated for the next twelve to twenty-four hours to give his body a chance to begin healing. He is in recovery right now and will be moved to the ICU in a couple hours, we'll let you visit with him then, but again he'll be sedated and rest in what his body needs right now. I noticed there were signs of a previous trauma recently, I don't know if that will factor into his recovery, but it seemed he was still healing from that, so with this incident it may take Commander McGarrett a bit longer to heal."

"But he will be okay, right?" Danny needed a yes or no; the vagueness doctor's like to use really annoyed him.

"We are optimistic that as long as there are no complications, with time he should recover completely." The surgeon responded.

The group seemed to relax slightly, so the doctor turned to go. Malia moved forward to speak with her colleague a moment as Danny took a seat, his head in his hands. Chin and Kono took a seat across from him as Malia returned to the group, sitting down next to Danny, her hand going to his back in comfort. "When Steve's moved to the ICU you can stay with him if you want. That's what I was arranging, as long as you stay out of the way of the nurses."

Danny looked up at Malia; damn Chin Ho Kelly was a lucky man to have found a woman as caring and compassionate as the older man was. "Thanks."

The silence that had settled over the group was interrupted by sound of Danny's cell phone ring. Glancing at the name, it reading 'unknown' Williams begrudgedly answered, not wanting to deal with a solicitor or wrong number right now, "Williams".

"How's Steve?"

"You son of a bitch!" Danny stood, causing the other's to stand, his tone and posture shifting to dangerous in a second, "You lost the right to know how Steve is when you put a damn bullet in his gut!"

Kono was quickly on the phone, trying to get HPD to start a trace on the call.

Danny hit speaker so everyone else could hear Joe, they needed to try and figure out where the hell the man was and any background noise might help. "Tell Kono a trace would be a waste of time." Joe's calm, normally soothing voice responded as if he was watching their moves.

"Where are you? You just shot him and left him on the damn beach? After all we went through to get him home and you try to kill him now? Why didn't you just let Wo Fat do the dirty work for you?" God Danny was beyond pissed; he was literally seeing red right now. He knew deep in his soul that if Joe White had walked into the room in that moment, SEAL training or not, Danny would have killed the older man with his bare hands.

"I wasn't trying to kill him, but he needed to be stopped. This is getting more dangerous for him than he can even begin to realize. I did it to save him." Joe sounded so sure that what he'd done was the right thing.

"Tried to save him?" Danny chuckled humorlessly, "God damnit Joe, his heart stopped twice. That damn bullet nicked an artery, so tell me how is that saving him?"

They heard a mumbled 'son of a bitch' as some noise in the background could barely be heard. "This is not how everything is supposed to be going. He has to stop with trying to find out who Shelburne is; this was the only way to stop him, at least for a while. I refuse to lose him because of this mess that wasn't even started by him. We nearly lost him in Korea, I had hoped that would slow him down a bit, but all it did was cause him to push harder. You have to understand he is getting too close to this and if he doesn't stop he **will not **live through it. It has to stop now." Joe's voice took on a pleading tone, he needed these people, that he knew hated him now to understand he was really only trying to protect Steve.

"You couldn't have just told him that?" Danny's anger was deflating as the man on the line sounded so much like Steve had that night before everything went to hell and Jameson was killed. It was a desperation that screamed that the man in question truly believed his way was the only way to resolve this.

"When have you ever known Steve to listen to reason? Damn it Danny you better than anyone knows once he get's his sights on something he won't back off even if it nearly get's him killed, or arrested for murder. He had to be stopped and this was the only way I could think of that would stop him." Joe's resolve was returning.

"If you know him so well, you know even this isn't going to stop him." Danny replied.

Joe chuckled slightly, "No it won't, but it will slow him down and right now that is what I need. I'm sorry for what I've done, but I would do it again to keep him safe." They could all hear Joe take a deep breath, "Look just tell me they expect him to be okay, please."

"Hopefully, if there are no complications." Was all Danny said, he refused to go into detail with the man that had shot his partner, no matter the reasoning behind it.

"Okay." Was Joe's only response before the phone line went dead.

Oxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Thirty-six hours later found Danny sitting in a chair at his partner's bedside. Steve had been moved from ICU about ten hours ago into a regular room, his sedation had been cut back and the doctors were just waiting for Steve to wake up on his own. So far no infection had presented itself and his blood pressure had finally returned to normal, his wound was healing nicely.

Kono, Chin and Malia had been in and out over the last few hours, trying without success to get Danny to go home, promising to stay with Steve and call if anything changed. But Danny refused to leave his friend unprotected, even though he knew the threat was gone for now, Joe had all but disappeared since the phone call.

A low moan from the bed had Williams on his feet, reaching for the call button as he watched Steve struggle to open his eyes. Reaching out he took a hold of Steve's wrist. "Hey Steve, take it easy." Danny whispered.

"Dan…?" The mumbled response did more for Danny's mood than he ever could have imagined.

"Yeah buddy, it's me. Take it easy, the nurse should be here any second." Giving his partner's wrist a gentle squeeze, Danny watched pain-filled eyes met his. "Good to finally see you awake again."

Pinching his eye's closed as a wave of pain washed across his abdomen; Steve clinched his teeth, trying to breathe through it. "Hey, easy, you still with me?" Overwhelming concern clouded Danny's voice.

Another second passed before McGarrett could respond. "Joe?"

"He's not here Steve, he's gone." Danny hated that Steve was asking about the man that shot him, but he also knew how this latest loss was going to affect his partner.

"Shot me." Steve responded, his mind still not processing that Joe had done this to him.

"I know, we've been trying to find him, but he called me. Told me…in his warped sense of things this was his way of protecting you…damn if you SEAL's aren't a certifiable lot. Only you guys would see shooting a friend as a way of stopping them from pursuing something they really should just let drop." Danny couldn't help the mini rant; he was so relieved to have Steve finally awake, that this little bit of normalcy made its way out.

The nurse came in at that moment, "Hey, the nurse is here. You just rest, I'm right here, trust me I'm not going anywhere, but we need you better okay?" Danny could see Steve struggling with the sleep his body so desperately needed.

"Always…trust you." Steve whispered out as the nurse injected pain medication into his IV line after doing a quick set of vitals and putting in a call for the doctor.

Danny felt Steve reach out and grab his hand that had released his wrist when the nurse came in, so he wasn't in the way. Williams gave it a gentle squeeze, reassuring his partner he was there, it was then Steve seemed to relax and let the pain medication slip him back into darkness.

Oxoxoxoxoxoxo

The next time Steve opened his eyes, it was to the smiling face of young nurse. "Nice to see you awake Commander."

Glancing around the room, he noticed she was the only one in the room. "Your friends finally convinced Detective Williams to go to the cafeteria and get something to eat. He's been living on coffee the last two days. He told me he'd be back shortly and to call him if you needed him up here sooner. Do you want me to call him?"

"No…" Steve whispered his voice harsh from non-use.

"How's the pain? Do you need something for it?" The young woman continued checking the other machines attached to him.

"I'm okay right now. How long have I been here?" His voice getting a little stronger as he shifted, but stopped as pain flared across his stomach.

"Easy, I'll raise the bed a little. You've been here a couple days now." Pushing a button she moved the head of the bed up some, "That better?"

"Thanks." McGarrett whispered, the pain easing again.

"Here is the call button, if you need anything please press it, your friend warned me that you're stubborn, but your body needs time and rest to heal and toughing out the pain won't help, okay?" She smiled at him again. Giving her a small smile before she left the room, letting her know he understood.

Silence settled around him, the soft beep of the heart monitor the only noise, it gave him a chance to think. Never in a million years would he have believed Joe White, a man he had known nearly half his life now, that had been closer to him than his own father would turn on him like this. He just couldn't get his mind around it and honestly it was giving him a headache, so he leaned back into the stiff pillow and closed his eyes, hoping sleep would pull him back under for a while, at least until Danny came back and could help distract him.

He heard the door open and fully expected to hear Danny's voice, especially if the others were with him, but as the door closed silence again filled the room. Expecting a doctor Steve opened his eyes and saw Joe White standing at the foot of the bed.

Steve had never feared anyone and he wasn't going to start now. The two men stared at each other before McGarrett broke the silence. "Joe."

"I needed to stop you. You weren't listening to reason, I'm sorry." Joe said softly, his eyes taking in the injured man before him. It had really tore Joe up, what he had done to Steve. Far more so than he ever expected, that was why he hadn't been able to leave the island until he could get a chance to see Steve in person.

"I don't know Joe." A part of Steve wanted to believe the older man, but he didn't know if he could forgive him right now. "All of my career, it was my determination that everyone praised, my relentlessness and now, doing something you, yourself, taught me, you shot me to stop me? Do you really think that will work?" McGarrett's voice became harder. The man before him knew him better than that.

Joe chuckled slightly, "Oh I know it won't stop you, but it will slow you down for a while. Steve I'll tell you like I told Danny, I will not lose you to this mess. You have to back off or I won't be able to protect you any longer. This is bigger than you can imagine and until it plays itself out you will not be safe if you continue to try and track Shelburne down." White's tone took on a pleading sound, "Son I need you to stop. I promise you, everything will come out in time, but this is not the time. Now I've never begged for anything in my life, but I'm begging you, it has to end here and now. You can keep going after Wo Fat as you have been doing, but leave Shelburne out of this for now."

For a moment Steve was transported back nearly twenty years, remembering the pain and grief in his father's face as he put Steve and his sister on those planes to the mainland, thousands of miles away from home, from each other. He remembered his father pleading with him to stay safe, it was the same tone, the same expression his father had worn.

A part of Steve somehow understood Joe, seeing the man before him now. This was not the confident commander he had known throughout his military career, this man before him was trying not to break in front of him, trying to not show just how much of what Steve had been through, what he had put Steve through was affecting him.

"Will I learn the truth in the end?" Steve asked.

"I promise you Son, when this is all over I will bring everything I know about this to you and everything will finally be out in the open, but you have to promise to let it go for now." Joe felt a hint of hope now, that maybe, just maybe the bullet had finally cleared Steve's head, caused him to pause and see what Joe had been trying to get him to see.

"Okay, I won't stop going after Wo Fat, but I'll back off Shelburne and I am holding you to this Joe. This…" Steve could feel emotions surfacing that he never liked to deal with, he took a deep breath as he tried to push them down, but the pain he was in both physically and mentally right now was overriding his normal self-control, but even as tears formed in his eyes, it was shear determination that kept them from falling. "This mess has taken everything…**everything **from me, my mom, my dad, hell I don't even have my sister anymore, she's a stranger to me. I need it to end Joe, please tell me it will end."

Joe saw the emotion in McGarrett's face could hear it loud and clear in his voice. Standing straighter, his shoulder's squaring, his lined face setting in grim determination Joe spoke the words that Steve needed to hear. "I promise you Son, it will end soon. One way or another it will end." With that Joe reached out and squeezed Steve's leg, then turned and left the room.

Steve leaned back into the pillow, the emotions of the moment taking what little energy his body had acquired. His head hurt worse now, the pain in his abdomen flaring as he felt himself curl onto his side, tears finally leaking from his closed eyes. His mind became fogged, sound fading in the background, pain encompassing his whole being as his breathing became shallow, his bodies automatic response to the pain it was now in.

He never heard the door open again, never heard Danny's frantic call of his name, never felt the hands of his friends as they tried to comfort him through the pain. Steve never registered when the doctor, followed by the nurse rushed in, administering another dose of pain medication that finally allowed his body to surrender to the darkness the beckoned him.

Oxoxoxoxoxoxo

He could tell by the ceiling tiles that he was in a different room than he vaguely remembered. Those memories were jumbled, he remembered Danny being there, then Joe was there, then there was unimaginable pain that consumed his body, his mind. Steve took a few minutes to try and make sense of his surroundings, he wasn't feeling any pain, but could feel a pull near his stomach, then he remembered getting shot, that Joe had shot him.

The conversation before the pain came back to him, Joe had begged him to back off, to stop looking into Shelburne and that if he would let it go now, the truth would finally come out, Joe had promised to tell him everything. He remembered promising to stop, to wait until he heard from Joe again and even though it was the older man's fault Steve was in the hospital with a hole in his stomach, he believed Joe.

Moving his head slowly Steve took in the new room, it was glass enclosed, he could see nurses moving around the desk just outside the sliding door. Turning his head a little further he took in the sleeping form of his partner, his friend, his brother; Danny. Letting out a deep breath as just the sight of the blond man made him feel safe. Danny looked tired, even in sleep, his hair was disheveled like he had run his hand through it repeatedly and his cloths were rumbled. "Danny?" Steve called out, his voice again raspy.

Sitting up quickly it took Danny a second to realize what had woken him, when his eyes finally met those of his friend. "Hey."

"Hey." Steve replied, watching Danny move forward in the chair, laying his hand on Steve's forearm.

"How you feel?" Williams' voice was low, quiet, so unDanny-like.

"Don't feel much of anything, still feel tired though." Steve replied honestly for a change.

"They've got you on morphine this time. Do you remember what happened?" Danny asked.

"Joe shot me." McGarrett replied. "He said it was to stop me."

Shock registered in Danny's face, "What? How did he tell you?"

"He was in my room before. Nurse said you had gone to the cafeteria, I leaned back, closing my eyes, heard the door. When I opened them again he was standing at the foot of the bed." Steve took a breath, he didn't realize that long of a sentence would take so much out of him.

"He didn't try and hurt you again did he?" Danny looked worried. Obviously something had happened to Steve after Joe left, but all McGarrett could remember was pain.

Giving his head a slight shake Steve responded, "He begged me to stop looking."

"Will you?" Danny wasn't sure what McGarrett's response would be, but at this point the needed Steve to stop.

"For now. He told me it would all be over soon and I'd learn the truth behind everything." Steve said, his breath catching as a slight twinge of discomfort was felt.

"You okay?" Danny stood quickly at his friend's distress.

"Yeah, what happened? Why am I in the ICU?" Steve had visited the Intensive Care Unit enough over the years to recognize one, no matter what hospital he was in.

"You started bleeding again. They had to go back in and fix it, the bullet initially hit an artery and you lost a lot of blood. Everything was looking okay before, but your blood pressure shot up, then nearly bottomed out again. That was two days ago." Danny filled his partner in on the time gap.

"I'm sorry Danny." Steve felt he needed to apologize to his friend.

"No, no you have nothing to be sorry for, well except relentlessly pursuing things when they are clearly detrimental to your health and in turn to the health of those around you. But this…" Danny motioned toward Steve, "This is in no way your fault. Joe did this to you and I swear if I ever see the bastard again I will shot him myself. He ruined a beautiful wedding and kept me from getting the deposit back on my tux; apparently bloodstains are not covered on the rental agreements." Steve couldn't help the smile that tried to cross his face, Danny's rant told him that things would be okay, that he would be okay and no matter what he could trust Danny to keep him afloat.


End file.
